


Go Scouts!

by jakeromano7



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1980s, Alternate Universe - High School, Drama, Football, Multi, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-31
Updated: 2016-03-30
Packaged: 2018-05-30 06:07:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6412060
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jakeromano7/pseuds/jakeromano7
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It is the 1980s, and Eren and his friends are part of the Maria High School football team, normally one of the best teams in the country. Maria is a small town with a big school, where the people live and breathe football. The school is in the top 10 for the number of kids that move on to college football, like all-state quarterback Mike Zacharius, or the Gatorade high school player of the year, cornerback Levi Ackerman. However, a decline in recent years has led the school to hire a new coach. Will the gang be able to return “The Scouts” to their former glory, win the national championship, and survive high school? Drama ensues as their friendships are tested. High school can be a rough four years.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Go Scouts!

“Remind me… why we’re doing this?” Jean asked, panting. He was doubled over, with his hands on his wobbling knees. Sweat rolled down the boy’s face, and he heaved like he was about to vomit. Again. “We don’t even have to fucking show up… The season hasn’t even started.” He grumbled, continuing on when nobody answered. Everyone else was too tired to talk, panting and sweating as well. Bertoldt was actually puking on the track, which surrounded the football field. The tall kid wasn’t as fast as he should’ve been, and out of shape. They were all out of shape.

“Just because it’s an ‘optional’ summer conditioning doesn’t mean we don’t have to go.” Reiner answered, after catching his breath a bit. Jean raised an eyebrow, and Marco stepped in to further explain.

“There’s over a hundred kids out here, easily. That’s before mandatory practice even starts. I guarantee if we don’t show up, we’ll be cut. They don’t even let freshmen try out, so as sophomores we’re still the bottom of the totem pole.” Marco made all good points, and Jean wondered how the boy stayed so cheery even now. Jean looked like he wanted to complain more anyways, but Eren interrupted them.

“He’s so fucking fast.” He panted in between breaths, his brown hair dripping and matted to his forehead. Everyone knew who he was talking about immediately, but they followed his gaze anyways to where it lay on the raven-haired boy, looking bored and not the least bit fatigued.

“Levi fucking Ackerman.” This time Connie spoke, and gave a low whistle. “Remember watching him last year as a junior, he was a fucking monster. Chasing down kids and laying out boys twice his size.” 

“And he’s got jets.” Eren added. “He outran and juked kids who could probably eat Reiner for breakfast.” They all laughed at this, even Reiner cracked a smile. The group recalled watching the games under the lights during their freshman year.

Most of the team had sucked, save Levi and a few others. These few were so good however, they carried the team to a 7-3 season. Although by the town’s standards, that was awful. And the past few years of this had been grounds to fire the coach. And their new coach was somebody totally new; he wasn’t even from Maria. 

Of course, the townspeople didn’t approve of the principal hiring someone from out of town. Yet the principal and Athletic Director seemed adamant on giving this new coach a chance. 

“Good practice team! Huddle up!” They all turned, recognizing their head coach’s voice now.  
Everyone scrambled to the logo on the middle of the football field, all hustling and taking every chance they could to impress the coach. They boys ended up in the middle of the huddle, getting front row seats to the coach and his end-of-practice speech. The team was on the school mascot in the middle of the field.

It was a silver shield over which rested a pair of wings, one with blue feathers and one with white feathers. They were the Maria scouts, and proud to be one of the best high school football teams in the entire nation since the founding of the school almost 70 years ago. The logo was faded a bit, but then again this was an old field. A great one, but old. 

Little divots were pockmarked around the field, and some areas lacked paint or grass or both. Then again, it was still summer. When the season started, the field would receive proper care. The town would make sure of it. Football was the town’s pride and joy. Every adult male in the town had a letterman jacket from their days on the team, and many had rings from winning the national high school championship. Wives planned huge fundraisers for the school, and they would cook for the students while everyone tailgated, often from the second school ended on Friday to the game that night. Maria lived for the scouts, breathed football, and bred champions. 

“Alright, I liked the hustle I saw today. The work we do now will pay off in the long run. Keep your heads up, and we’ll be the best team to ever step foot on this field. I believe it.” The coach was an out of towner, and yet his words had a strange effect of the sweating boys, seemingly filling them with life. 

The new coach was a young man; had to be in his early thirties. He had platinum blonde hair, and was clean cut and shaven. He also had steely blue eyes, and the biggest eyebrows anyone had ever seen. That being said, he was taller than most of the players, and absolutely jacked. In the hot summer air, the man wore only a tee-shirt with cut off sleeves, gym shorts, and a whistle around his neck. Needless to say, the man was massive. Nobody doubted he had probably been a college football star, and they decided they’d have to ask their parents or other townspeople if they’d heard of the man: Erwin Smith.

“Mike, break it down.” Erwin said, stepping back. The only person taller than Erwin stepped in to the circle. Mike, the senior quarterback, was one of the few with Levi that had carried the team the past three years. He and Levi had been the only two players in years to make the team as a freshman, and they had started too. 

Mike was undoubtedly going to play in college, and probably the pros. He was fast and strong and had a cannon, and it took on average three players to take him down. On top of that, he only threw two career picks in his entire high school career, and had only been sacked as many times. And of course, he was a natural leader. They all looked up to him like he was a god, and naturally the town of Maria treated him like one. Although he was down to earth, more of a quiet kid than gigantic asshole. 

“Breakdown!” Mike yelled, standing in the middle of the circle. His right fist was over his heart and his left behind his back, their Scouts salute.  
“Huah!” The team chanted in response.  
“Breakdown!”  
“Huah!”  
“Breakdown!”  
“Huah! Huah!”  
“Scout’s pride on three! One, Two, Three-“  
“Scout’s Pride!” The team responded in unison, roaring as Mike’s energy seemed to flow through them all. 

The circle broke, and Eren made his way over to the sidelines. He found Jean eventually walking beside him, and soon Connie, Reiner, Bertoldt, and Marco were with him too.  
“This is gonna be a great year guys…” Eren said enthusiastically, trailing off as he watched Levi walk by. He barely heard his friends nodding in agreement and bubbling with excitement. He hoped he wasn’t staring. 

“Guys!” A shout interrupted Eren’s thoughts as they walked past the bleachers. Armin came flying down and landed among them, a dopey smile on his face. “You looked great out there you guys!” The blonde haired boy said with a smile, and received a hearty clap on the shoulder from Armin, and Eren threw his arm around his friend’s shoulders. 

“You think so coconut?” Eren asked with a grin, and Armin frowned in protest and elbowed Eren in the side. Somebody else followed Armin down from the bleachers, and made their way on flanking Eren’s other side. “Hey Mikasa, how…” He paused, looking at her face. Something was off. “Mika, you alright-“

“I think I want to go out for the team.” She said quietly. The boys all went dead silent, and then laughter erupted from everyone. Eren tried to keep a straight face, and Armin looked distraught.

“Mikasa, you weren’t supposed to start drinking without us.” Eren said nervously, drawing more laughter and a death glare from Mikasa. “Girls can’t-“ He was suddenly cut off by a familiar voice.

“What’s this about?” Everyone got dead quiet, and turned around to face the voice. 

“Coach Smith!” They all shouted, straightening up. He looked at them, and walked up to Mikasa. 

“You want to try out for the team?” He asked calmly, looking down at her. Mikasa looked defiant, not shrinking back an inch, even in the presence of the intimidating man.

“Yes sir.” She answered evenly. He looked at her for a second, a small smile spreading across his lips. 

“Alright.” Erwin started, and looked over his shoulder. “You, farm boy.” He said, and Reiner stood up straighter and walked over. 

“Sir?” Reiner asked nervously, looking from Mikasa to his coach.

“Stand there.” Erwin said, and Reiner did as he was told. Eren backed up, and the others looked on in morbid curiosity. “Tackle him.”

“What?” Reiner asked, blinking and started to chuckle. The other boys looked at each other, and nervous laughter started as well. Although Mikasa didn’t need to be told twice. In a flash of black and red, Reiner was on his back in a second, Mikasa standing over him. Erwin smiled, not looking surprised in the slightest, and all the other boys simply gawked. Erwin held his hand out to Mikasa, who shook it.

“Coach Smith.” He said with an even smile.

“Mikasa. Ackerman.” She replied, and his eyes lit up a bit. 

“Oh, a relative of Levi?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, and she nodded. “I can tell. Make sure you show up to practice with these boy, keep ‘em coming on time.” Then he looked to all the boys. “You are all the future of the team, so I suggest you start learning from Mikasa.” With that, he nodded and walked past the boys, who all stood with their heads bowed in shame. There was a long silence, and then a low voice came from the ground.

“Everyone, in my truck. Let’s go get drunk.” Reiner moaned, and the mood changed as they all bounced up and nodded in agreement.


End file.
